Coast Guard Commandant Says U.S. Falling Far Behind Russia in Arctic

[jakeXT]

...

Beneath the Arctic is about 13 percent of the world’s oil and nearly 30 percent of its natural gas. And on the seabed is about a trillion dollars’ worth of minerals, Zukunft said. Coast Guard mapping indicates that an area about twice the size of California would be considered America’s extended continental under the U.N. sea convention not signed by the U.S.

Among other things, the convention establishes guidelines for management of marine resources, and spells out responsibilities countries have in using the oceans.

The U.S. signed the original convention in 1958, but not the successor treaty passed in 1982.

President Obama has advocated for the sea law, but the Senate has refused to ratify it.

..

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2015/04/14/coast-guard-commandant-says-u-s-falling-far-behind-russia-in-arctic/

[KT2000]

1. the Navy is prepping

for increased presence in the Arctic.
They are already moving more operations into NW Washington.

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp%3Fstory_id%3D79288